NATA Now

In honor of Women’s History Month this March, NATA is highlighting women in the profession who are working to advance athletic training through recruitment, retention and leadership.
 

“Nobody’s going to tell me what I can’t do,” Incoming NATA District Seven Director and Weber State University (WSU) Department of Athletic Training Chair Valerie Herzog, EdD, LAT, ATC, said.

This tenacity has driven Herzog through many accomplishments from becoming an athletic trainer to being an impactful leader and educator in the profession.

Throughout the history of athletic training, the college/university, higher education, professional sports, secondary school and various emerging settings have become home to athletic trainers wanting to care for all active populations. The impact of these ATs has helped their patients remain active and healthy in work, life and sport.

Throughout the history of athletic training, the college/university, higher education, professional sports, secondary school and various emerging settings have become home to athletic trainers wanting to care for all active populations. The impact of these ATs has helped their patients remain active and healthy in work, life and sport.

COPA Con, a virtual conference on athletic training practice advancement, is back this year with live educational programming for a variety of settings March 31-April 1 and on-demand access, along with networking opportunities for peer-to-peer discussion, through May 1. Both live and on-demand attendees can earn more than 10 CEUs.

NATA Council on Practice Advancement Chair Karen Fennell, MS, LAT, ATC, said the COPA Con is a direct result of NATA members’ feedback requesting content targeted to them for their career advancement.

NATA Timely Topics kicks off anew this year with “The State of Athletic Training: College/University Employment” at 1 p.m. CST March 2.

In honor of Black History Month, NATA is highlighting some of our Black leaders at the state, district and national levels and shares insight into their volunteer journeys.

By Scott Schultz, MD

Advertorial: Zelus WBGT provides a phone-based application that removes the frustration from WBGT monitoring and record keeping.

Registration is now open for the 74th NATA Clinical Symposia & AT Expo, taking place June 21-24 at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis.

The largest gathering of ATs worldwide, NATA 2023 offers a variety of educational sessions for in-person attendees to earn up to 20 CEUs, as well as opportunities to grow their athletic training network and make connections that will benefit and advance their careers.

In honor of Black History Month, NATA is highlighting some of our Black leaders at the state, district and national levels and shares insight into their volunteer journeys. 
 
Helping people has always been a passion for NATA LGBTQ+ Advisory Committee student liaison Larry Gipson II.

Gipson said his “freak accident” while playing football in high school, during which he fractured his femur head and dislocated his hip, fueled his love for athletic training – a profession practiced by ATs, whose passion to return him to his sport inspired him.

As a new feature added to NATA News in 2022, Meet the Member highlights NATA members who are positively advancing the athletic training profession. This month, NATA celebrates the feature’s one-year anniversary.

Beginning with the February 2022 issue, this ongoing NATA News series showcases ATs who represent various districts, settings and experience levels. Their outstanding efforts have moved the profession forward within their workplaces and communities as well as with their patients and athletes.